[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 182 (Thursday, November 14, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H8870]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HOPE FOR VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING

  (Mr. SPANO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. SPANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to proudly announce the 
introduction of a bipartisan bill to combat human trafficking, the HOPE 
for Victims of Human Trafficking Act.
  Too often, trafficking victims are forced to do things that they 
would never choose to do, and sometimes they are forced by their 
captors to break the law. This bill creates a legal presumption which 
states that human trafficking victims who commit a covered offense 
while being trafficked are presumed to have committed that offense 
under coercion unless the prosecution can prove otherwise.
  Consequently, this bill will stop many unjust convictions human 
trafficking victims face, which will then better allow them to find 
employment, seek additional education, and recover from their trauma.
  I am proud to cointroduce this bill with my friend Representative 
Alcee Hastings.
  On behalf of the many human trafficking groups that supported the 
bill, including Shared Hope International, Rights4Girls, Selah Freedom, 
and others, I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation, too.

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